Where was the Journal Sentinel when the Milwaukee Police Department needed it?

Since 1980, Milwaukee police chiefs, I'm sure, have wished they had a watchdog on their side. Although I cannot speak for them, it appears to me chiefs Harold Breier, Robert Ziarnik, Philip Arreola, Arthur L. Jones and Nannette Hegerty all could have benefited from a watchdog that decried the fact that external authorities overturned their disciplines. But, alas, the watchdog was silent.

Now, after four years of system improvements abetted by a supportive Fire and Police Commission that has upheld the chief's discipline, the dog that didn't bark has decided to bite.

The Journal Sentinel took the reams of paper records we provided and told stories. I wish the newspaper had decided to tell stories about how the men and women of this Police Department have been reducing crime for the past four years. I wish it had told the story about how uses of force and vehicle pursuits had been reduced. I wish it had told the story about how police interventions have increased fivefold in four years with a reduction in citizen complaints. I wish it would explore the improvement in police-minority relations that has occurred. I wish it had discussed how using the suggestions of officers themselves has improved accountability systems and reduced overtime.

Are the stories the paper chose to tell shocking? Yes. Are they sensational? Yes. Are they humiliating? Without a doubt. Do they represent the norms of the members of the Milwaukee Police Department? Absolutely not.

We in policing know that decisions must be driven by data, not anecdotes. So what does the data say? We did the analysis for them:

Highlighted cases span 31 years;

86% occurred before my administration;

39% are more than 10 years old;

The 93 officers represent 2% of the nearly 5,000 officers who have been employed by MPD during the time span covered;

The median discipline for domestic violence and drunken driving was two days between 1997 and 2004. My median discipline has been 30 days;

Of the six overturned firing cases, three occurred before 1994; three between 2004 and 2007.

After 24 years as a police chief executive, I know the difference between attempting to reform a troubled system and exploitation. The Journal Sentinel "crossed the line."

It is one thing to draw attention to officers who engage in criminal behavior and were put back to work by an external review authority. It is quite another to publicly humiliate officers whose behaviors, although troubling, were manifestations of imperfect humanity rather than official, willful misconduct. It is even worse when the paper re-victimizes domestic violence victims by providing sufficient information to identify them, often years after the couples have reconciled and gone on with their lives.

Some say there should be a higher standard for an employee who enforces the law. I agree. We expect them to have more courage, be more competent in a crisis, have more integrity, demonstrate more leadership, have more respect for the rights of others and be more restrained in the use of authority than other mortals.

But we recruit from the human race. When officers use bad judgment that only hurts themselves, I expect them to tell the truth and take responsibility. And I discipline accordingly.

When I impose discipline, I consider the experience level and motivation of the officers as well as the degree of harm that resulted from the conduct. In most cases, we are punishing conduct, not people. Misconduct in the use of police power or misconduct that causes harm to others will always be treated more harshly than misbehavior in which the only victim is the officer.

I function in a system of checks and balances. That's why disciplinary decisions are subject to external review. I'm not always happy with the outcome. But those returned to duty often go on to win commendations for excellent policing. Indeed, some of them go on to successful political careers.

Policing is dangerous. The physical hazards of policing are memorialized on tablets of stone. But the psychic hazards of policing are even greater. Policing is the most emotionally hazardous occupation in government. Officers are subjected to an unremitting series of tragic human events. They see the worst of people and people at their worst.

It is no surprise that studies have consistently demonstrated high rates of alcohol abuse, divorce and suicide among officers. Too many turn to alcohol to relieve stress. Too often, the stress of work causes stress at home. Too often, troubled officers turn to their firearm for relief from depression. We at MPD are confronting these problems. Discipline has been stiffened. We are actively educating our officers. In a supportive environment, self-referrals to employee assistance programs have significantly increased. Cops want to do the right thing.

The newspaper is part of a police department's public accountability network. We in the profession must respect that even when we feel unfairly maligned. "Due process" holds officers accountable. But there is no due process in a newspaper. There, the price of public service is public humiliation.